Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Mt. Chocorua, Middle Sister, NH |
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| Trails: |
Champney Falls Trail, Piper Trail, Middle Sister Trail, Champney Falls Cutoff |
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| Date of Hike: |
Sunday, May 13, 2018 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking area was well signed. |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
The one right at the beginning wasn't too hard (and there's a simple bypass along the Kanc even if it was). The others are all very easy. |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No major blowdowns, but a few places where the footway could be improved. Champney Falls Cutoff is used less than the other trails, and it showed. Some areas of the Piper Trail above treeline are difficult to follow, especially on the first major rock scramble after breaking treeline (first swing to the right, then to the left). Blazes on Piper and Middle Sister Trails could use freshening, especially those that are painted on bare rock. |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw several. As long as they have rock-scrambling experience, they should be fine. |
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| Bugs: |
Some were out, but they were never annoying. |
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| Lost and Found: |
Nada. |
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| Comments: |
What a beautiful day to go hiking! Blue skies, temperatures in the high 60s, and a nice breeze. No snow or ice until the second switchback up Champney Falls Trail, and even then, with a little bit of thought it could be avoided. One short stretch of ice on Champney Falls Trail above the Cutoff required a minor detour into the woods, but there was a beaten path parallel to the trail that I suspect existed precisely for this purpose. As many others have said, no snow or ice above treeline. No snow or ice going over the Sisters, either, and only a few small and easily avoidable areas on the Cutoff. Carried spikes but never really considered using them.
Views were incredible in all directions from the summit of Chocorua - we could see well into Maine, and all the way to Kearsarge South and (probably) Monadnock. Washington and Lafayette still had visible snow, and a mountain in the distance (that I believe was Moosilauke) still had a small amount of visible snow as well. |
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| Name: |
GN |
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| E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-05-13 |
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| Link: |
https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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